U.S. Blockade on Cuba Still in Force after 56 Years

U.S. President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) made official 56 years ago today the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba in an attempt to defeat the Cuban Revolution and it is still in force, affirmed Cuban academician Olga Rosa Gonzalez.

Havana, Cuba.- "There will be blockade for a long time," in the first place because the chiefs of the White House do not have the power of issuing an executive order like that of Kennedy, said the expert in statements to Prensa Latina. The also deputy director of the Center of Hemispheric Studies and the United States considered that policy of isolation will continue in the long term, due to a couple dozen laws restricting the economic relations between both nations, as well as those of the island with other nations.

She pointed out that the greater of the Antilles is not a priority for U.S. policy makers, who are focused on other areas.

That is why -she assured- no bill introduced in Congress has succeeded leading to eliminate the "Law for liberty and democratic solidarity with Cuba," known as the Helms-Burton (1996).

The initiative is the strongest appendix for the application of the blockade policy against Cuba and turned the legislative organ in the only with faculties to lift it.

To abolish laws takes a process inside the Capitol, in which Cuban-american legislators are those who insist more in keeping the economic, commercial and financial siege, clarified Gonzalez.

According to the researcher, although the President of the United States cannot decide to liftthe blockade, although he can flexibilize this policy and authorize the use of the U.S. dollar in bilateral trade transactions.

He can also make credit and financing concessions so that Cuba can buy products in the U.S. market, without having top ay in advance or in cash, she exemplified. However, she said, present dignitary Donald Trump, kept the suspension of chapter three of the Helms-Burton Law, that deals with the internationalization of the blockade.

Such chapter establishes that U.S. citizens can present in courts of their country claims of assets in Cuba and forbids foreign enterprises from doing business with the so-called 'confiscated properties'.

The clause was suspended by former presidents William Clinton (1993-2001), George W. Bush (2001-2009) and Barack Obama (2009-2017), in their respective government periods.

Trump did this maybe to prevent an avalanche of demands in U.S,. courts against companies of the rest of the world investing here and he is a businessman, pointed the specialist.

On February 7, 1962 Kennedy proclaimed the executive order that imposed the blockade against Cuba.

That was the beginning of a group of decisions aimed at consolidating that hostile policyh that, according to several experts, it has not achieved the objective to overthrow the Cuban Revolution.